Tunisia coach Kadri resigns after surprise Africa Cup of Nations exit

Jalel Kadri, aged 52, has stepped down from his position as the coach of Tunisia after the team's unexpected elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations. Tunisia finished at the bottom of their group in the Ivory Coast on Wednesday, failing to achieve their pre-tournament objective of reaching the semi-finals.

Kadri, who captained the team during their victorious World Cup campaign in Qatar against France, announced his departure in a post-match interview after Tunisia's 0-0 draw with South Africa, which confirmed their elimination.

During his conversation with beIN Sports, Kadri stated that his contract would automatically expire as Tunisia did not reach the semi-finals, which was the minimum requirement.

When questioned about whether this meant he had officially resigned, Kadri replied, "This is my decision and it is stated in my contract."

Initially appointed as Tunisia's interim manager just days before their match against Nigeria in the 2021 Nations Cup round of 16, following the COVID-19 diagnosis of then-coach Mondher Kebaier, Kadri assumed the permanent role after Tunisia's quarter-final exit at the hands of Burkina Faso.

He then led Tunisia in the 2022 World Cup, where they were unable to progress beyond the group stage despite their surprising victory over reigning champions France.

Kadri tendered his resignation after the tournament, but the Tunisian Football Federation rejected it and instead extended his contract for an additional 12 months.

Kadri has taken full responsibility for Tunisia's disappointing performance in the Cup of Nations. He acknowledged that the team's morale was affected by the defeat against Namibia in the first match, which they should not have lost.

However, he mentioned that they showed improvement in subsequent matches against Mali and South Africa, although their attacking efficiency was lacking.

In addition to Kadri, several other coaches have also faced consequences in this eventful Cup of Nations. Ghana's Chris Hughton, Algeria's Djamel Belmadi, and Jean-Louis Gasset from hosts Ivory Coast have all been relieved of their coaching duties.

Furthermore, Gambia's Tom Saintfiet resigned after his team's elimination in the group stage, while Tanzania's Adel Amrouche has been suspended by his federation due to an eight-game ban imposed by the Confederation of African Football for his comments about Morocco.